Heavy .32 H&R ammo

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Mr_Flintstone

Mr_Flintstone

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Other than Buffalo Bore, is there another manufacturer that makes 98-100 grain .32 H&R ammunition? I have a Charter Undercoverette that I bought a few years back that does best with heavy rounds. The 80-90 grain bullets tend to hit low, but the heavier rounds hit point of aim.
 
Unfortunately there are few options for the H&R mag as few companies load it. And it's hard to find in stock sometimes.
 
There is a manufacturer in Georgia that is popular with cowboy shooters use for reloads.
 
Handloading is your best option. You can juice the .32 H&R pretty hard if you have a strong firearm. I have a ferocious load with 90 gr. Sierra JHCs that clocks 1,335 FPS in my 3" SP101. Probably running .327 pressure levels, but the SP101 can handle it, as could steel S&W revolvers. I don't think I'd hammer an Undercoverette with loads that hot, though. It's a lighter built gun with thinner cylinder walls than an SP101, J frame or K frame. I like Charter, no plans to get rid of my Bulldog .44 Spl, but they are not as strong as S&W or Ruger guns.
 
Thanks guys. I already handload these, but I’ve always been worried about legal aspects of using handloads for carry use. I’m sure you’ve all heard the stories of being prosecuted for any number of things if you have to ever shoot someone with reloads.

If I can find a good quality commercial ammo that shoots true in my gun, I don’t mind the cost of a couple boxes since they’ll probably never be shot as long as I can come up with a reasonable facsimile to load for practice.
 
Reed's ammo also has a 100gr xtp available as well as a 100gr lfp and 125gr swc. Reed's however seems to be a hit and miss in terms ov both performance and quality control.
 
It seems that most heavier ammo costs about the same as Buffalo Bore after shipping. I can buy the BB at a local gun store for $35 and be done with it for carry ammo. I was just looking for options. I wish there were as many options for .32 H&R as there are for .32 S&W Long.

I would just use handloads, but if there’s just the slightest greater chance of legal issues, why take the chance.
 
Mr_Flintstone said:
It seems that most heavier ammo costs about the same as Buffalo Bore after shipping. I can buy the BB at a local gun store for $35 and be done with it for carry ammo. I was just looking for options. I wish there were as many options for .32 H&R as there are for .32 S&W Long.

I would just use handloads, but if there’s just the slightest greater chance of legal issues, why take the chance.
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Did you watch the lucky gunner video that was posted about 32s? The S&B 32 long wadcutter has very good penetration. Given that an H&R hollow point might not open at low velocities and the good penetration/low cost of the 32 long wadcutters, perhaps they are worth consideration? I know it has me considering them.
 
SteadyD said:
Did you watch the lucky gunner video that was posted about 32s? The S&B 32 long wadcutter has very good penetration. Given that an H&R hollow point might not open at low velocities and the good penetration/low cost of the 32 long wadcutters, perhaps they are worth consideration? I know it has me considering them.
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I just watched it. Its kind of amazing that the S&B 32 Long wadcutters penetrated more than the H&R magnums (that didn’t expand). I actually have a box of those exact rounds in a drawer somewhere that I haven’t used yet. I’d give them a try today, but we’ve been swamped with rain the past few days, and we’re expecting another 4” today and tonight. Since I shoot outside, it’ll be a few days before everything dries out enough to shoot. Thanks for the heads up.
 
Thanks guys. I already handload these, but I’ve always been worried about legal aspects of using handloads for carry use. I’m sure you’ve all heard the stories of being prosecuted for any number of things if you have to ever shoot someone with reloads.
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I have asked this question to several law officers and also my uncle who was a homicide detective until he retired and went to work in the D.A.'s office as an investigator. All responses were as long as it was a justified shooting you shouldn't have any problems. Don't do something stupid like make an exploding tip bullet, fill the nose with mercury or add a hardened steel insert and stay with book loads and you should not have a problem.
 
The 32-20 is hands down my favorite cartridge. I have both revolver and Uberti 1873 Carbine in it. Used in lever action it was considered to be a good deer round until modern gun 'riters and the Internet informed us how it is too weak for killing deer. (Good thing deer can't read and use the Internet). It is a excellent general purpose handgun round. I have been shooting it for 20 years and reloaded many thousands of rounds. (In fact I have about 1000 rounds reloaded at the moment).

The 32 Magnum is merely the straight wall version of the 32-20. I thought it would become popular with women for self-defense in small frame revolvers due to the addition of another round (6 vs. 5) and lighter recoil. Showed me how little I know and how fickle the gun market is.

I have a pair of Ruger Single-Sixes in 32 Magnum. I brought them many years ago for my wife to use in Cowboy Action Shooting. She never liked CAS (preferred Mounted Shooting instead) so I have not worked with the cartridge much. My limited experience with the Rugers is the 32 Magnum does not like heavy bullets as well as the 32-20 does. I use 115 gr. lead bullets in the 32-20 and 95 gr. lead bullets in the 32 Magnum. It has been a long time since I did it but 115 gr. lead bullets did not perform well in the Rugers.

There is no reason to use handloads for self-defense as there are at least four good commercial ammunition choices for self-defense for the 32 Magnum;

Black Hills Ammunition 85 gr. JHP, Hornady Critical Defense 80 gr. FTX, Federal 95 gr. LSWC and Federal 85 gr. JHP.

It sounds like the Federal 95 gr. LSWC is close to what you are looking for. The LSWC will also give deeper penetration which is important to me with the 32.
 
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OK guys. We had about an hour break in the rain; just long enough for me to put on my Muck boots and do 5 test shots each at 25 feet with the following.

Hornady 80 gr H&R HP - 3 in low with a spread of 3 inches.
S&B 100 gr SWL Wadcutters - .5 in low with a spread of 1.25 inches
Ultramax 90 gr H&R RNFP - 2 in low with a spread of 2.5 inches
Hand loaded H&R 100 gr cast TC w/Titegroup - 1 in low with a spread of 1.5 inches
I had some Federal 85 gr H&R HP, but it started raining again, and I didn’t get to shoot them.

All would probably be OK in a SD situation since they are close up and personal, but the 32 Long was much quieter, had less recoil, quicker time back on target, and more accurate. The only problem with the Longs was burned powder in the cylinder that made the next batch of H&Rs a little hard to load, but cleaned up easily.

I had forgotten how loud the magnums were. Seemed much louder than .38 Special, but more of a crack than a boom. The Longs were really quiet though.
 
BSA1 said:
I thought it would become popular with women for self-defense in small frame revolvers due to the addition of another round (6 vs. 5) and lighter recoil. Showed me how little I know and how fickle the gun market is.
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I agree 100%. My wife and MiL both have damaged wrists, and a 32 H&R magnum revolver is what they keep near them in the rare circumstance that their husbands are out of town (my wife also has two large dogs). A 32 magnum revolver can fire loads that range from very light to pretty spicy. 32 S&W long is WAY better than a 22 and feels about the same. 32 H&R magnum is gentle, but as effective as a mild 38 special. 327 federal magnum is a SERIOUS round similar to a 357, with similar flash and noise, but lighter recoil. It is confusing to me when someone seems to think that their wife. mom, GF, or daughter can have only a 22 or a 38.

I believe that a 32 magnum DA revolver is the best choice for a "non gun person" who isn't going to practice much, but wants a handgun for everyday SD.


The Undercoverette is the one she wanted. Hers just happens to be pink because it was barely used, and apparently no one wanted to pay for one in that color. Anyone with basic marksmanship skills can do good work with it, and the "manual of arms" is extremely simple. Getting shot by it would be pretty similar to getting shot by any other typical "service caliber".
Charter Arms 32 Magnum

Charter Arms 32 Magnum

 
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I had forgotten how loud the magnums were. Seemed much louder than .38 Special, but more of a crack than a boom. The Longs were really quiet though.
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And thats why I wouldn't want a 327 in a snub revolver. The 32 mag is loud enough for me. But the 327 in a long barreled Ruger would be A-OK by me.:thumbup:
 
Or a lever action rifle.
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I just sold my Marlin 32 mag lever action. I bought it when it first came out long ago and only had it out twice to shoot. I didn't shoot over a hundred rounds through it. I like my Marlin 357 about 10 times better so it went down the road for a nice profit. I would like to have a second 357 now that Marlin is making them again so I have one to leave each of my sons. But no more 32s for me. Unless Henry made a single shot in 32 that might spark my interest some.
 
I go with the Hornady Critical Defense for my 32 magnum Undercoverette. The FTX bullet has good expansion in low velocity cartridges like 38 special and 380 acp, so I assume it should work well in 32 magnum.
 
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